Chapter 649: Absolutely Not a Foolish Act

"...Senior Lin, perhaps you are being too pessimistic."

After a moment of silence, He Qingling spoke in Li Haowen's direction:

"Although I don't know what you've been through in the past, Senior Lin, and saying this might sound a bit irresponsible of me, the dead have passed on, and those who remain alive still need to keep looking forward."

This was He Qingling's advice to Li Haowen. Although the twenty-plus years of life she had experienced so far might have been somewhat plain, that didn't mean she had no thoughts of her own about this world.

"Many times, being able to let go of everything can also be considered a way of looking forward."

Li Haowen replied.

"But, Senior Lin."

He Qingling said as she cast her gaze toward the two long swords at Li Haowen's waist:

"Have you truly let go of everything?"

"..."

Li Haowen fell silent. He did not directly answer He Qingling's question. Only after another moment did he leave the cabin wall:

"I'm going up to the deck for some air."

Then, he took steps toward the direction outside the cabin.

Whether he had truly let go of everything or not, Li Haowen knew all too well.

......

Western Region of Chenping Continent, Liaolong.

The largest gathering place of rogue cultivators in the world.

Departing from Cyclone City Ferry and taking an old, small ferry to arrive at Liaolong Ferry took about half a month in total.

He Qingling stepped down from the ferry's gangplank, and as her feet touched the ground, an extremely solid sense of security welled up in her heart.

Even Qi Sea Realm cultivators who could fly through the air still found the feeling of having their feet firmly planted on the ground to be the most reassuring.

Then, He Qingling raised her head and began to take in the legendary Liaolong Ferry.

Over a hundred ferry boats of varying sizes hung high in the sky, swimming through the firmament like a school of fish. Further away, several even more massive ferries seemed to be docked within the clouds, and most of the banners hanging from their masts were recognizable to He Qingling. They all belonged to the great sects of the Chenping Continent's cultivation world.

Liaolong Ferry seemed far more prosperous than He Qingling had imagined.

"Eight thousand years ago, this place was not like this."

A middle-aged man in gray daoist robes, with two swords wrapped in bandages hanging at his waist, dressed in light-gray daoist robes and looking rather composed yet burdened with grievances, passed by He Qingling and walked forward:

"Back then, Liaolong was not what it is now, the largest gathering place of rogue cultivators on Chenping Continent. Even the mortals who lived here had no idea what cultivators were."

He Qingling, of course, was very familiar with all of this.

After all, ever since she could understand what people were saying, this young lady of the Xuan Sheng Sect's greatest interest had been sitting in teahouses, listening to storytellers narrate the various wondrous tales and anecdotes of the Chenping Continent's cultivation world.

Listening to those people's experiences and encounters was far more interesting than sitting on the meditation cushion in the grand hall of Xuan Sheng Sect, being stared at by He Chengjie while doing dull meditation cultivation.

She had, of course, also heard storytellers tell of Su Hongzhen's life and deeds.

After all, Su Hongzhen's status in the Chenping Continent's cultivation world was only slightly lower than that of Immortal Venerable Fusheng.

But as for influence over the current cultivation world of Chenping Continent, the Falling Star Realman far surpassed Immortal Venerable Fusheng.

After all, the era when Immortal Venerable Fusheng was active traced back to the time of Heavenly Summit Mountain, while the Falling Star Realman had only fallen seven thousand years ago. He was the last Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator of Chenping Continent...

Calling Su Hongzhen the last Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator of Chenping Continent now seemed somewhat inappropriate.

Realman Du Cang, Chen Yan, had burst onto the scene, and the current Chenping Continent also had six other reincarnated bodies of Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators.

If one only counted Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators, the current Chenping Continent was indeed in its most prosperous era in history. But as for cultivators at the Below Immortality realms, the current Chenping Continent's gap was quite obvious.

There were only five Dao Union Realm cultivators in total, and the upper three realms collectively numbered only a little over seven hundred people.

From this perspective, one could even say that the current cultivation world of Chenping Continent was rather desolate.

He Qingling held great respect for those four characters, "Falling Star Realman." In fact, any cultivator who knew of the Falling Star Realman's life would respect him.

Before Realman Du Cang burst onto the scene, among the thirty-one Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators of Chenping Continent, only the Falling Star Realman, Su Hongzhen, had never killed a single person in his entire life.

Especially Su Hongzhen's fall, which was quite legendary and tragic in nature.

To seek a future for the common people of the world, to find a way out.

The Falling Star Realman died precisely because of this.

As for the final words that this foremost Sword Immortal of Chenping Continent left to the Grand Elders of the Five Great Sects before he went to the Fallen Sword Mountain Range, to this day, no one understood what Su Hongzhen had meant to express.

"This is not doing something foolish."

The "last words" that the Falling Star Realman left in this world were only these six words.

As for Liaolong, it was the hometown of the Falling Star Realman, Su Hongzhen.

After the Falling Star Realman conquered Heavenly Summit Mountain, the first thing he did was return to his hometown in glory.

As time passed, Liaolong gradually became the largest gathering place of rogue cultivators on Chenping Continent, and cultivators would frequently travel to Huangquan City in Liaolong to pay pilgrimage throughout the year.

"Let's go. We'll stop in Liaolong for about half a day to understand the current situation."

Li Haowen said:

"Then we'll find another ferry to fly to the Kongshan Sect in the northwest of Chenping Continent. True Person Caiyun of Kongshan Sect is waiting for you on Qingchan Peak."

"Kongshan Sect, True Person Caiyun?"

He Qingling, who had been following behind Li Haowen, suddenly paused slightly and revealed a rather surprised expression:

"Why are we going to Kongshan Sect? Weren't we supposed to return directly to Du Cang Mountain?"

"Returning directly to Du Cang Mountain is not a wise choice either. No one can guarantee that you won't be ambushed and killed on the way back to Du Cang Mountain."

Li Haowen replied:

"Having a True Person at the Ascending to Immortality realm personally escort you back to Du Cang Mountain is an absolutely foolproof method."

"But..."

How could she deserve such treatment?

He Qingling, who came from one of the top cultivation sects on Chenping Continent, might lack worldly experience, but her knowledge and breadth of vision far surpassed those cultivators from second-rate sects.

The Ascended Steward of Kongshan Sect, True Person Caiyun, personally escorting her to Du Cang Mountain...

Just this one matter alone would be enough to leave her name in the history of Chenping Continent.

He Qingling suddenly recalled that day a year ago when she first went up Du Cang Mountain and saw the three Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators, Realman Du Cang, True Person Caiyun, and Realman Lingxuan, at the ferry of Du Cang Mountain.

"This child greatly admires the Kongshan Sect."

At that time, Realman Du Cang, Chen Yan, had said this to True Person Caiyun, Kong Yang.